


they/them sonny carisi

by cottagegraham



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Coming Out, Fluff, Gen, Sonny Carisi - Freeform, They/Them Pronouns for Dominick "Sonny" Carisi Jr. (Law & Order: SVU), non-binary, sonny carisi fluff, they/them sonny carisi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-26
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:41:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26665360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cottagegraham/pseuds/cottagegraham
Summary: sonny’s non-binary origin story :)
Relationships: Sonny Carisi - Relationship
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	they/them sonny carisi

**Author's Note:**

> fyi i am non-binary!  
> everyone’s non-binary experience is different this is just mirrored after mine! and non-binary people don’t have to use they/them pronouns or present androgynously.  
> enjoy !! <33  
> twitter: THEYTHEMSONNY

“dominick carisi jr.! .... but please call me sonny!” was said with a nervous smile.  
sonny carisi was acquired by the special victims unit for “empathetic” skills which they’re sure they never lacked. especially in their long nights at fordham law night school, helping their fellow peers with studies, and making sure everyone was on track. even if that meant sacrificing their own studies. sonny knew from the moment every one called them “carisi” that they’d have a hard time feeling comfortable. ‘why can’t they just call me sonny like i asked?’ they’d think to themselves. only when they’re with victims do the really grateful ones call them sonny, if sonny’s lucky. and of course since they didn’t make their discomfort known, nothing would be changed.  
only recently did sonny have issues with the way they presented. it wasn’t the usual case of “knowing since early childhood” as things like this were never talked about in the heavily catholic italian area of staten island where they grew up before the progressiveness of the 2000’s. even being gay was frowned upon, issues with gender identity would be seen as even more taboo than that. and while sonny did like some men, he didn’t have that to figure out. sonny knew something was up when at night when they stared in the mirror at themselves, something didn’t feel right. was it the hair? no it can’t be. sonny even grew a mustache which they quickly shaved off after seeing it in the mirror became too much to bear, despite the compliments received by rollins and amaro on the facial hair. with a clean shaven face, sonny felt new. reborn. sonny never felt feminine, they never really felt fully masculine either. always that something wasn’t right or missing. they felt like even being referred to as a man wasn’t right. a witness from their past work in homocide was non-binary as they called it. they used they/them pronouns and a different name which sonny couldn’t remember as it’s been nearly years since the case was closed. sonny could still remember the warmth they felt in their chest when they realized that there was someone like them. someone who also didn’t know. they wished so deeply to talk to them about it, to let them know they feel the same. but sonny never got the opportunity. since that case, they decided to go by they/them pronouns. but they never felt it needed to be known by the public, their family, or the team. they never felt the need to dress outside of the usual masculine presenting clothes they wore as that was what was socially acceptable and they never really felt uncomfortable in suits and ties. they felt good being themself but they knew something was always off. was it their chest? no. it couldn’t be. it was almost always hidden under many many layers of shirts and dress shirts and even when they were in the field, bulletproof vests always covered it enough. still, one something wasn’t right. they even tried on makeup left on accident by a few of their one night stands and it felt nice but it wasn’t them. they felt nice dressing like a man but didn’t want to be referred to as one. that was the point wasn’t it? god they needed to talk to someone about this and it was not going to be in the church confessional booth. that’s when sonny carisi knew they needed to speak. to someone, anyone. 

“have you ever heard of.. uhm... non-binary people?” sonny blurred out, their cheeks turning pink in nervousness. hands growing clammy.  
“yeah. they’re the people who don’t have connections to male or female right?” amanda rollins said, biting into an everything bagel.  
“yeah. well uh, would it be uh okay if i was? you know.... non-binary...” sonny said, throat threatening to close up at the confession. rollins swallowed the bite she was working on.  
“hey, carisi..” she said gently. “of course.. whatever makes you comfortable” a soft smile pulling at her lips. sonny lifted their eyes from the floor to eye rollins.  
“really? so you’d be alright with using they/them pronouns for me?”  
“carisi! of course! are you serious?! why didn’t you say anything before? i hope i didn’t make you uncomfortable at all.” rollins said, her teeth showing in a comforting smile. sonny’s smile grew bigger.  
“please call me sonny.”


End file.
